Looking to build up a cheap full suss bike, mostly with secondhand parts sourced from here, friends etc over winter as a bit of a project.

Couple of friends have picked up Giant NRS frames cheaply and I’m wondering what the concensus is on these and what alternatives are available. Older Marin/Santa Cruz or a newer Boardman frame perhaps?

I’ve always ridden XC hardtails, but fancy something different – not fixated on any particular type of bike or length of travel – would be willing to try anything up to about 5inch travel/mid 30’s weightwise and not snobbish about brands. Would prefer something simple and easily servicable if poss.

Just fancy giving full suss a proper go after a lifetime of hardtails.
Usually ride in Calderdale/Dales/North Wales and prefer all dayers to short blasts.

What seem to be good value secondhand at the mo?
Would consider a full bike if cheap enough, but as I’ve already got some nice wheels on the hardtail and a few other bits knocking about it might be a bit of a waste.

Thanks in advance.

Define cheap.
A £1500 frame for £500 is cheap isn’t it?

I notice that 2nd hand turners don’t necessarily go for as much as they are probably worth. Maybe Turners are just not so popular in the UK full stop – look at the sale frames at CRC.

They use a bushing system which is easily servicable and more robust than bearings. They are seriously built bits of kit.

People are selling Horst-link and TNT designs to get the new dw-link design.

Be aware that any s/h FS frame could need the bearings/bushings/pivots servicing replacing – and if my Enduro was anything to go by its only once stripped that you realise they’re knackered.

If you need a large there’s a silly cheap cotic hemlock on the classifieds at the mo,
Not mine btw

Cannondale prohpets are supposedly good and are simple and also cheap 2nd hand

Cannondale Rush or Prophet? I picked up an excellent condition Rush on eBay for a couple of hundred quid.

First got the idea after seeing that the Santa Cruz Hecklers/Superlights had come down in price recently.
After looking into it though, I can’t really afford one.

So needs to be reasonably priced – yep, deffo sub £500, but if I can get something decent, reliable and rideable for much less, I’d be even happier.

Mate paid just under £200 for a Giant NRS in excellent nick – I’m wondering if there’s anything else worth considering at a similar bargainmongous price?

What are the older Marins like? Seem to be few about quite cheaply?
Never really taken much notice of full suss frames in the past, so bear with me.

5 foot 6 by the way, I think that makes me a small on a Giant or medium on a Santa Cruz.

Is that the four bar Giant NRS? The one that eats bearings and creaks a lot?

If you go for the older shape Superlight (pre ’07) you can pick them up for less than £300 easily, they aren’t as popular as the new swoopy design. Full bearing replacement set is £20.

I think I’d be going for a single pivot (and not link activated SP) in case of the need for new bearings. Orange 5/SC Superlight/Cannondale variants?

Original Trance is great, and you should be able to get one for about £150- check the bearings though.
Mavericks are great, and cheap.
Old Superlight is a bit flexy, in my opinion- better off with a Heckler.

…shameless self promotion but I’m selling my old Club Roost XC4 frame, it’s a single pivot somewhat similar to the older Santa Cruz Superlight design…

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-full-sus-frame-oakley-sunglasses-stem-cranks-sony-ps2-reduced

I like the idea of a single pivot for a simple starter FS bike, so a Cannondale Prophet would make a good choice.

There’s loads of old shape Spesh Enduros about too, you may need to budget for bearing replacements in addition to the obligatory shock service but they’re a good all rounder.

I’ve got a Turner Burner (Lg, black) frame, with RP23 shock and new bush kit fitted. I thinks it’s somewhere in-between the flux and a 5spot. Great all day ride.

Email in profile if your interested. Looking for £375 + post.
That will include the RP23, salsa QR.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-turner-burner-frame-salsa-flip-lock-seat-clamp#post-1191090

Cheers G

I got a decent ’03 NRS frame for about £80 iirc.

Nice frame, replaced seatstay/chainstay bushings with a bearing kit from BETD to get rid of some play, the rest of the bearings were sound but a little gritty – I’ll replace these soon.

Other than that I’d echo some of the above, Canondale Prophet, Giant Trance. Might find a Giant VT for sensible money as they didn’t seem to be too popular.

Maybe an Orange Sub 5?

I’ve got a cannondale Prophet frame (m) for sale.

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-cannondale-prophet-medium-1

Probably going to drop the price as I’ve not had any interest at that price so make me offer if you’re interested.

kona dawg/coiler? cracking ride, I sold mine (2004 5″ Coiler) after 5 years purely as i fancied a change but my coiler was a real do-it-all bike, rode it all over the UK, alps, morzine, morocco. Builds to a low 30’s lb bike with no effort (but mine went up to 38 in alpine build and I left it like that!) is a faux bar (ie single pivot with linkage-driven shock) and bearings durable (only changed em once). Seen a dawg here recently with other parts for £250ish?

There’s loads of choice if you have up to £500 budget for frame.

You will get a recent (2 or 3 year old), good condition big brand frame for £300 easy enough.

Sounds like you want something in a “normal riding” sort of style, so maybe look at Specialized Stumpjumpers, Giant Trance X, Trek Fuel EX. Boardman is a good idea too as you suggest.

All those will be light, versatile and ride well.

Maybe put a WTD advert up on the classifieds and see what people have to offer, but ebay can offer some great bargains as well.

I did exactly that in the spring, P when I wanted to try full sus. Put a Wanted ad in the classifieds for a full sus, medium frame and had a few interesting offers.

Went for a Boardman Team FS frams in the end for £170 posted. Even came with a Truvativ Firex chainset and seatpost!

Swapped all the bits over from my hardtail (which is now rigid) and I’ve been very impressed (although it’s now got a shorter stem and wider bars!)

HTH

An old Oranger 5 might be a good bet – simpleness of single pivot design and they actually seem to work well – the group I ride with has a lot of 5s and they seem to climb well (if you pedal well, anyway) and go down well as well. Don’t see too many complaint of bobbing.

I really liked my NRS, and it’s a very good first FS frame You can pick up for under £100 (that is cheap in my book :-)), get a decent example, where You won’t have to change the bearings/bushings before You can ride it as a bearing kit that replaces bushings and all the other bearings is about £50 from Betd. If You are considering an NRS (my did not creak) than You’re probably after something XC. If You can spend betweek £100-200 than look for a decent Giant Trance. The older models can be had for around £150-ish. Other cheap and good frames are: Marin (but not Mount Vision), Merida TransMission (my friend bought his for £120), very good frame, don’t get early Magnesium examples as they were cracking somewhere in the seat tube, Merida is very much like the Spesh Epic but for 1/3 of the price. Carrera had them rebadged as their own brand stuff (Bugaboo?), can have that cheap as well. Scott Genius are cheap but their own shock might be a problem to find spares in the future.

Problem with the more popular brands is the final price on eBay, I’ve yet to see a cheap FSR frame on eBay, they always fetch a good price. Maybe look for complete bikes, as sometimes prices are not much higher than frame only and You can always keep whatever You like or just sell the bits You don’t need making the frame cheaper.

I would go for a giant VT or a Specialized Enduro from 2003 to 2004 you shoulde be able to pick one up for under £200, however any frame that you buy will more likely than not need the bearings changed.

How about I show you how to find stuff on ebay and talk you through the right questions to ask and once you get the frame I’ll also show you how to check it for damage and if needs be service it.

Ebay is your best bet as you get 45 days to check the frame and have the claims service as a safety net.

Be warned though most used frames are sh1t and need a good amount of work that can be costly, shock service £90 bearing kit £20 to £40 for a decent set and then you have to fit them as well as shock bushes.

That said all can be done cheaply if you know what your doing.

5 years of ebay trading, buying, checking, servicing and selling used frames. I doubt there’s a more experienced trader in used frames than me and since I can’t be @rsed doing it any more due to the amount of hassle, I’m happy to help out. I also have a lot of experience with helping people build bikes it’s one of my many hobbies!

Thanks for all the advice folks, much appreciated.

Currently speaking to local bike shops to see if any of the regular customers are selling anything suitable – will see what happens there first before I dive into the scary world of E-Bay!

Have compiled a bit of a shortlist and currently doing a bit of research as to sizing and pricing – loving the idea of an Orange 5, but hardly ever see them for sale, people seem to keep them unless they’re upgrading to a newer model.

Might be back to ask some more questions later – ta for all your help so far.

I helped a rider called Rick upgraqde his hardtail to this

He bought the frame from me a couple of months ago and we worked together to make sure everything fits, fork steerer, headset, bb etc.

For me these frames and the giant VT frames are pound for pound the best old frame about for well under £200, you can also pick up giant reign and trance frame reasonably cheaply.

I would love to help out, lets see a photo of your frame / bike as it is?

Why don’t we start with how to check a frame and shock so you know what you’re buying?

Kaesae, cheers for the offer.
Currently riding a hardtail, which I’ll be keeping no matter what.
If nothing materialises via my LBS’s or locally, I’ll give you a shout.

Once again, much appreciated.

Edit – just spotted your post above – I’m fine with checking frames for straightness & damage. No problem with shocks either as pretty familiar with motorbike units – similarly shouldn’t be too bad with bearings but have a few experienced mates who have offered to help.
Would be more than happy to hear any tips though – no such thing as too much knowledge when it comes to buying stuff secondhand!

I just accidentally bought a GT i-drive 5 with Manitou Nixons and Fox Float R and LX gears and Deore brakes for £350 the lot which seems pretty good to me

The good thing about a frame that doesn’t have all the parts on it is that you can hold it at different angles easily, give all of the welding a quick once over, preferably with a light source either a light above you or outside you can also use a torch, any cracks will show up on the paint. They simply look like lines that follow the weld.

Kaesae …..would be interested to see your advice/methods of checking frames and shocks. how about doing a small article and posting it up (if you dare face the scrutiny of the stw fault finders)
hows that for a challenge!

kaiser – Member
Kaesae …..would be interested to see your advice/methods of checking frames and shocks. how about doing a small article and posting it up (if you dare face the scrutiny of the stw fault finders)
hows that for a challenge!

HAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Sub £200 = GT Idrive 5 IMO, you can get one with the Float shock in it for that much and they’re bloody good. (the version with the Ario is still fine, the Idrive suspension design gives the shock an easy life) Heavy, and too steep angled for a 5 inch bike but if you consider it an enormous unstoppable XC bike rather than an all mountain bike you won’t go wrong. Quite complex with the Idrive mechanism but easy enough to service.

I had an I drive a few years back I thought it was OK, I still prefer the 03/04 Enduro one of the best frame ever made, however northwind has raised a good point, there are a lot of nice older frames, why not try out some different frames of people you know or ask on STW if anyone has a bike you can have a quick shot of, if they live locally or ride somewhere you do have a go see what you think, you’ll be spending a lot of time on any bike you build hopefully you might as well do some research.

Not so much an old frame, mine was off a 2009 bike (last of the numbered I-drives before they switched to names) and they kept tweaking the design all the way through… So it had a better dogbone design frinstance.

to be fair I didn’t find it amazing, which is why I sold it… I wanted something a bit more capable. But at glentress and the like I honestly reckon built up with my nice light kit it was the best bike for the red routes, so damn fast. XC manners but with extra bounce. Wouldn’t have ridden it down aonach mor though!

Having owned both in the past I’d say pay the extra for the 03′-04′ Enduro. They are way better than the NRS. Dont get me wrong, an NRS for less then £100 is a good start, but chuck another £100 towards an Enduro & you’ll be a happy man. The NRS needs a well functioning shock, mine had a god awful RockShox one. Was utter pants, a mate had one with a brand new shock & it was a bit better. Even with a good shock though they simply cant match the Enduro. As said before, Giants VT is another contender. While bearings sets can be stupidly expensive from a bike shop, if you can get the sizes then they can be bought much cheaper online. Be very careful of very old GT iDrives, (00-02) they had a woeful record for cracking.
I still miss my Enduro, but the s/h Ventana I replaced it with is nice.

I’ve got a Cannondale Jekyll frmae for sale in here, make me an offer 🙂

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fsupdated-rock-shox-jekyll-frame-maguras-easton-flite-sq-taper-bbs

hi ive got slx brand new everything if you need anything,i built up a new santa cruz which was to small its got slx crank shifters brakes front and rear meck all for sale o and a set of new pikes,just thought it may help you in the build

My NRS1 is still going strong now after 6 years hard service, never had problems with the bearings or bushings and no squeaking either. I really don’t think you can compare the Enduro and NRS as both are meant for different styles, the Enduro will never fly up a hill as quick as a NRS but will beat it back down, all things being equal (rider).
All depends on what type of riding you do most

GET THE TURNER BURNER.

from Gnnr.

The NRS needs a well functioning shock, mine had a god awful RockShox one.

The NRS should have the NRS shock hence the name really, sounds like some numpty decided to change it and therefore change the whole characteristic of the bike.